Can Quadcopters Auto Rotate?

Can quadcopters auto rotate? This is a question that a lot of people want an answer to before they invest in any type of quadcopter, whether that involves one of the more economical versions or one of the more elaborate and expensive versions available on the market today. Why is it so important to know the answer to this question? A quadcopter that is capable of auto rotating is less likely to become damaged in a crash than one that is not capable of such a feat. This is largely because the individual operating the quadcopter has more options for bringing the quadcopter down gently if something goes wrong as long as auto rotation is possible.

Auto Rotation Explained

Think of it this way. A full-sized helicopter is capable of auto rotation and this is essentially what makes it safe to fly. In the event that something goes wrong with the engine, this is a helicopter’s way of gliding so that a safe emergency landing can be made. Without the ability to auto rotate, the helicopter would basically just drop out of the sky like a rock, just as a quadcopter will do if auto rotation is not a possibility. In other words, people that invest in quadcopters that cannot auto rotate might end up spending more money on them because if something does go wrong, it is much more likely that the quadcopter will be heavily damaged in a crash, often beyond repair.

Quadcopters and Auto Rotation

As far as quadcopters go, auto rotation is not typically a possibility. The truth is, the rotors must be variable pitch in order for auto rotation to become possible and on most quadcopters, this is not a design feature. The fixed pitch design of the rotors means that auto rotation cannot occur. Therefore, any quadcopter that has fixed pitch rotors will not be capable of auto rotating. If it loses power while it is in flight, it will simply crash into the ground and in all likelihood, it will be destroyed.

Finding the Right Quadcopter

That does not necessarily mean that every quadcopter is built this way. The truth is, there are a select few versions that have more elaborate features and some of these versions do feature a variable pitch rotor design. If that is the case, the quadcopter will be capable of auto rotation. Your other option is to build a quadcopter yourself and ensure that you incorporate the ability to auto rotate into the design.

Summary

What should you do when deciding which quadcopter to purchase? It really comes down to the features you want to incorporate and how much money you are willing to spend. The cheaper entry-level versions of quadcopters probably will not feature the ability to auto rotate, meaning that you might end up having to buy more than one of the items in order to replace a previous quadcopter that has been damaged beyond repair. On the flip side, one of the more elaborate versions that allows you to auto rotate the quadcopter is going to cost more money. You might be better off choosing the more economical versions until you get the hang of it and learn how to fly it really well.

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